Fever and Aces face elimination in deciding WNBA playoff game
Indiana and Las Vegas are tied 1-1 in their first-round series. Thursday’s winner advances to the semifinals.
Indiana Fever and Las Vegas Aces meet in Las Vegas on Thursday to decide their first-round WNBA playoff series. Indiana levelled the matchup with a 99-89 win on Tuesday after losing the opener 102-85.
The deciding game puts the focus on whether Indiana can sustain the defence that helped turn Game 2. The Fever held Las Vegas to 17 points in each of the second and third quarters, building a cushion that withstood a late Aces run.
Caitlin Clark led Indiana with 27 points and 15 assists, while Kelsey Mitchell scored 26 and Aliyah Boston added 22. Jackie Young scored 31 for Las Vegas across a game in which the Aces still managed 89 points.
ESPN’s preview identifies defence, star performances and contributions from supporting players as potential factors in Game 3. Young has been a major scorer for Las Vegas through the series, while Indiana’s guards and Boston helped drive the Game 2 response.
The Aces are defending champions and have won three of the past four titles. Indiana’s only championship came in 2012. Thursday’s winner moves on to the WNBA semifinals.
